The Fishing Safety Research Grant Program established by The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-281), as amended by the Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-281), is intended to provide funding to individuals in academia, members of non-profit organizations and businesses involved in fishing and maritime matters, and other persons with expertise in commercial fishing safety.
Donor Name: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
State: All States
County: All Counties
Territory: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/30/2022
Size of the Grant: $975,000
Grant Duration: 36 months
Details:
Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States and puts workers at high risk for severe injuries, illnesses, and death. The industry is comprised of a diverse population of vessels and associated gear used to catch seafood. Many commercial fishing operations are characterized by hazardous working conditions, strenuous labor, long work hours, and harsh weather conditions (NIOSH, Commercial Fishing Safety National Overview). During 2000-2015, an annual average of 42 deaths occurred in the commercial fishing industry (117 deaths per 100,000 workers), compared with an average of 5,247 deaths (4 deaths per 100,000 workers) among all U.S. workers (US Department of Labor Statistics).
Data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Commercial Fishing Incident Database (CFID) show that from 2000-2015:
- 725 commercial fishermen died while fishing in the U.S.
- Nearly half of all fatalities (354, 49%) occurred after a vessel disaster
- Another 221 (30%) fatalities were due to falls overboard
- Another 87 (12%) fatalities resulted from an injury onboard
- The remaining 63 (9%) fatalities occurred while diving or from onshore injuries.
NIOSH has looked at some of these types of events more carefully to identify risk factors. For instance, from 2000-2016, none of the victims in fatal falls overboard were wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) when they drowned. In addition, 59% of the falls were unwitnessed, and alcohol and drugs contributed to over 18% of all fatalities (Case et al, 2018). This study also found that fatalities associated with unintentional falls overboard occurred most frequently on the East Coast (30%), followed by the Gulf of Mexico (29%), Alaska (25%), and the West Coast (13%). Five deaths occurred off the Hawaiian Coast.
The Commercial Fishing Occupational Safety Research Cooperative Agreement program was established by The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-281), as amended by the Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-281), and is intended to provide funding to individuals in academia, members of non-profit organizations and businesses involved in fishing and maritime matters, and other persons with expertise in commercial fishing safety. The funding will be used to support research on improving the occupational safety of workers in the commercial fishing industry. This includes:
- Improving vessel and deck equipment design
- Developing and improving emergency and protective equipment
- Improving vessel and fishing processes to reduce safety risks
- Enhancing vessel monitoring systems
- Improving communication devices, deicing technology, and severe weather detection
Tailored research objectives for particular geographic regions or fleets are encouraged. Research objectives supported by this cooperative agreement include, but are not limited to the following:
- Identification and investigation of the relationships between hazardous working conditions and associated occupational injuries and fatalities
- Development of more sensitive means of evaluating hazards at work sites, including fatigue, stress, or the use of opioids as contributors to occupational injuries and fatalities
- Development of methods for measuring leading indicators of injuries and fatalities
- Development of new protective equipment and engineering control technology to reduce work-related injuries and fatalities
- Development of work practices that reduce the risks of occupational hazards
- Evaluation of the technical feasibility or application of a new or improved occupational safety procedure, method, technique, or system, including assessment of economic and other factors that influence their diffusion and successful adoption in workplaces
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $975,000
- Award Floor: $150,000
Note: Unlike standard awards with 12-month budget periods, there is a single 36-month budget period for these awards and is the same as the award project period or period of performance. The award ceiling and floor are based on a single 36-month budget period.
Eligibility Criteria
- Higher Education Institutions
- Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
- Private Institutions of Higher Education
- The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for CDC/NIOSH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:
- Hispanic-serving Institutions
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)
- Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
- For-Profit Organizations
- Small Businesses
- For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)
- Local Governments
- State Governments
- County Governments
- City or Township Governments
- Special District Governments
- Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
- Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
- Federal Governments
- U.S. Territory or Possession
- Other
- Independent School Districts
- Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
- Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
- Regional Organizations.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
